Hidden Emperor Timeline
The Early Reign of Toturi I **The Crab Clan - Hida Yakamo **The Crane Clan - Doji Kuwanan **The Dragon Clan - Hitomi **The Lion Clan - Ikoma Tsanuri **The Mantis Clan / Yoritomo's Alliance - Yoritomo **The Phoenix Clan - Shiba Tsukune, Naka Kuro **The Scorpion Clan - Bayushi Kachiko **The Unicorn Clan - Shinjo Yokatsu **The Shadowlands - Kuni Yori, Kyoso no Oni **The Naga - The Qamar **The Brotherhood of Shinsei - Takao **Toturi's Army - Toturi I Year 1129, Month of the Tiger(Page 11) *Norikazu's Ravings Isawa Norikazu falls into a deep fever for fifteen days. During which he spouts a range of wild prophecies recorded by other Phoenix clan members into a book called Norikazu's Ravings Notable Quotes: When darkness falls over the Empire, two men will ride forth to save it. One man will find his master and the other will kill him. ...the Splendid Emperor will die by his own hand. *Otaku Kamoko Dissappears Otaku Kamoko vanishes from the Unicorn lands chasing her only lead on who killed her mother, the Lion general Matsu Agetoki. Agetoki also dissappears soon after Kamoko *Flight of the Dragons The Elemental Dragons withdraw their influence from the mortal world. However, the Dragon of the Void finds it cannot completely abandon the mortals it has come to cherish and instead leaves behind a nemuranai that bears a fraction of its power. This is the Dragon's Claw Katana, which is left with the Crane Clan. *Hida O-Ushi's Wedding Hida Yakamo commands his younger sister O-Ushi to marry. O-Ushi is outraged, but cannot defy her brother. So she announces a tournament, inviting all who seek her hand to compete in hand-to-hand combat. Furthermore, O-Ushi also insists that she be given the right to participate, and should she win, secure her independence. O-Ushi and Daidoji Uji incapacitate one another in a final match leaving the only one who didn't fight O-Ushi, Shinjo Yasamura the default champion. Year 1130, Month of the Hare (Page 11-12) *Disappearance of Toturi I Emperor Toturi holds Winter Court at Otosan Uchi as a sign of unity. At the end of court he intends to hold a second coronation since the Clan Wars have subsided. The night before the intended coronation, Emperor Toturi vanishes from his chambers. Emerald Champion Kakita Toshimoko investigates the scene and concludes that the Scorpion Clan may have had a hand in the dissappearance. The court demands that the Scorpion Clan surrender the culprits or else. Toshimoko however is unsure of his conclusions and asks Kitsuki Yasu to investigate the scene again. Kitsuki find the evidence against the Scorpion to be false. Yasu warns Toshimoko to find the culprit quickly or the clans will fall into bickering and fighting one another leading to another Clan War. *The Chancellor Takuan is named Imperial Chancellor in Toturi's absence. Takuan turns to Imperial Advisor Kakita Yoshi for aid. Yoshi complies and quickly becomes the true power behind the Jade Throne *The Hunt Begins Bayushi Kachiko knows that her clan will be exiled for Toturi's disappearance but suspects that the true culprit is an enemy of the Scorpion Clan. She summons and charges Ginawa and Matsu Hiroru to find Toturi's kidnapper. Hiroru believes unfortunately that the minions of Goju Adorai may be behind the kidnapping. *The Scorpion Exile Kakita Toshimoko commands that the Scorpion Clan be exiled to the Burning Sands with a heavy heart. Matsu Gohei is commanded to escort Bayushi Kachiko and her followers beyond the Empire's borders. All Scorpion children under the age of 12 are left in the Empire under the care of the Crane Clan. Bayushi Aramoro and a number of other Scorpion members defy the order however and remain in the Empire at Kachiko's request. *The Grey Crane Kakita Toshimoko abandons the Emerald Armor on the cliffs near Kyuden Doji, along with a final haiku shortly after the Scorpion's exile. Most assume he has taken his own life. However, Toshimoko actually dons nondescript armor and a mempo to conceal his face and becomes a ronin living by the name "The Grey Crane. He does this to find the true culprit behind Toturi's kidnapping. Shinjo Shirasu takes command of the Emerald Magistrates until a new Emerald Champion can be chosen. Year 1130, Month of the Serpent(Page 12) *The Unicorn take the City of Lies The Unicorn Clan takes over Ryoko Owari in the stead of the now exiled Scorpions. Those hidden Scorpions are somewhat resentful, but would prefer the Unicorn take the city then some outsiders and do what they can to help the Unicorn secure the city. *Aramoro's Alliance Bayushi Aramoro knows other clans will follow the Unicorn example and in an attempt to safeguard the Scorpion lands, travels to the Island of Spice and Silk and secretly meets with Yoritomo. The Son of Storms agrees to march into Scorpion lands and claim them in the name of the Mantis Clan. This is but a show as they agree to return the lands to the Scorpion on their return. To seal the bargain, Aramoro fosters his son, Aramasu, to the Mantis Champion. Year 1130, Month of the Tiger(Page13) *The Kazaq's Dream Qamar's son, the Kazaq, has an ominous dream. It foretells of the time when Hitomi will drag the Pale Eye from the sky and plunge the world into twenty-seven days of darkness. A beast forged for the heavens and the heart of the Fouls, reigns over the mortal world from the shadows while the Celestial Order spirals into ruin. Even in the midst of this chaos, the greatest heroes in the mortal realm do not even notice. The Kazaq rushes to the Dragon Clan to warn them of this impending future, but Hitomi refuses to listen. As the Kazaq threatens war should this dark future come to bear, Hitomi Kokujin incapacitates the young Naga and brainwashes him granting him kikage zumi tattoos and severing the Naga's group mind in the process. Year 1131, Month of the Hare (Page 13) *Naga abandon the Crab At Qamar's command the Naga abruptly depart from Shiro Hiruma and march north. The Crab are surprised, but with the recent lull in Shadowland activity, they do little to impede them. *Kuni Yori attacks Hiruma Castle The shadowlands horde attacks Hiruma castle under Kuni Yori's leadership. Hida Yakamo's forces repel the assults with little difficulty and does not call for reinforcements, wary that this is a feint to weaken the Kaiu Wall's defense. *Akuma Unleashed Kitsu Okura encounters the bound spirit of the Oni Lord, Akuma in the ruins of an ancient Lion Castle. Akuma offers Okura great power but Okura refuses. However, Okura finds himself strangely unwilling to report this discovery to his fellow Lion. Year 1131, Month of the Dragon (page 13) *Shinjo Tashima visits the Dragon lands Shinjo Shirasu dispatches her cousin Tashima to investigate the truth behind the rumors of the Togashi slaughter in the Dragon provinces. Shortly after arriving in the Dragon lands, Tashima encounters Hitomi Kokujin. Soon, Tashima sends a message back to Shirasu stating that she has seen "The Lady's Truth" and will be remaining in the Dragon provinces. *The New Jade Champion Imperial Scribes discover the now defunct office of the Jade Champion while exploring the archives of Otosan Uchi. Chancellor Takuan decides to renew the title as a demonstration of his effective leadership. Shugenja journey to Otosan Uchi including Kitsu Okura. At the tournament, Kitsu Okura sucumbs to the pressure to succeed and strikes a bargain with Akuma. She easily wins the tournament and assumes the role of Jade Champion all while Akuma begins to drive her deeper into corruption and madness. Year 1131, Month of the Goat (page 13-14) *Kuro's Discovery Grand Master Naka Kuro begins to supect a troubling disturbance in the elements after studying Norikazu's Ravings. He reinforces the rites of protection on Kyuden Isawa. Soon after, Kuro's most trusted servant undergoes a terrifying change. His facial features vanish, leaving an eggshell-smooth surface before the servant disappeared. Kuro is disturbed as even his knowledge has no explanation. *Yori's Second Assault Kuni Yori again assaults Hiruma castle and the Crab utterly crush his forces. The defenders become confident of their ability to defend the castle as Yori escapes unharmed satisfied with the result. His troops were mere undead so he has lost nothing, but the overconfidence of the Crab defenders would be their undoing. *The Crane attack the Mantis The Mantis begin to occupy the abandoned Scorpion lands. Daidoji Uji does not trust Yoritomo's motives and suspects that he may turn on the Crane after securing these new lands. Yoritomo knows the Crane cannot make a prolonged attack or hold the Scorpion lands without weaking the defense of their own borders so he withdraws to Beiden Pass and fights a defensive battle. After many long weeks, Uji bitterly withdraws. *Seige of Sleeping Mountain The Naga army attacks the Dragon lands and begins a prolonged campaign of brutal mountain warfare. *The Agasha leave the Dragon A large number of the Agasha family leave due to Hitomi's irratic and more violent activities. They find a welcome home in the Phoenix lands. Shiba Tsukune even permits these Agasha to keep their family name rather then sweat fealty to the Asako or Isawa. The Daimyo of the Agasha family, Agasha Tamori refuses to join his brethren maintaining his loyalty to Hitomi even in her madness. Year 1131, Month of the Ox (page 14) *Seduction of the Lion Clan Kitsu Okura falls deeper into madness, seduces by Akuma's power. He begins seeking other Lion who are dissatisfied with Tsanuri's rule of their clan and secretly initiating them as follower of Akuma. Most notable is Matsu Daoquan, brother of Matsu Goemon, one of Toturi's most celebrated allies. Year 1131, Month of the Monkey (page 14) *Tsume reborn on the night of a lunar eclipse, Kuni Yori enacts a perverse magical rituatl. He raises the general Moto Tsume to unlife via the power of Fu Leng's skull. Tsume swears his loyalty to Yomi. At Tsume's command, legions of undead Moto pour forth from Jigoku and into Yori's armies. *Hiruma castle prepares Yakamo suspects that Yori will assault Hiruma castle and sends scouts to Kyuden Hida to summon reinforcements. None of the scouts make it. Year 1132, Month of the Hare (page 14) *Seige of Hiruma Castle Moto Tsume and Kuni Yori lead a brutal assault against Shiro Hiruma. With legions of undead, ogres, and bakemono, the Crab manage to survive through a combination of resourcefulness, determination, luck and the aid of the Third Whisker Nezumi. Hida Yakamo knows they will not survive unless his sister learns of what is happening. Parying that the Jade Hand will provide him protection, he begins a harried journey through Nezumi tunnels to Kyuden Hida. Yori senses the purity of the Jade Hand] and sends Moto Tsume to apprehend Yakamo. *The Oracle Returns Searching for clues of emperor Toturi, Ginawa and Matsu Hiroru] find a most unexpected ally. Isawa Kaede, once the Master of the Void, returns to Rokugan as the Oracle of the Void. Kaede instructs them to find "A Dragon-man, whose face has not yet vanished." *Strange happenings in Lion Lands Shinjo Shirasu's Magistrates confront of a band Kitsu Shugenja and samurai during an investigation of strange disappearances. All the Lion are consumed by advanced Shadowland taint. The groups fights to the death. The magistrates attempt to investigate further, but Kitsu Okura intervienes, Okura demands to take over command of the investigation. Shirasu is suspicious of Okura, but doesn't question the Jade Champion. His magistrages withdraw from Lion territory. Year 1132, Month of the Serpent (page 26) *The Lion March Slowly but surely the Lion army begins their march south towards the Crab lands. Strangely, Ikoma Tsanuri does not reveal her intentions to anyone. Some among the Crab fear the worst and begin preparations for a Lion invasion. *Meeting with Kitsuki Kaagi Ginawa and Matsu Hiroru continue to battle the minions of Goju Adorai but still have not found any information regarding Toturi's location. In their investigation, the two heroes find an abandoned monastery rife with Goju and fight their way to the center of the monastery. They discover a prisoner named Kitsuki Kaagi, a dragon magistrate presumed dead for the past 10 years. Kaagi tells of his imprisonment by his brother Kitsuki Iyekao who became a willing minion of the Darkness and has been attempting to corrupt his brother for the past decade. Kaagi continues to tell the two heroes a great deal about their true enemy and master of his corrupted brother, the Lying Darkness. As the heroes learn of this information, Emperor Toturi is discovered in another Goju stronghold no more then three days travel from their location. *Murderer Stopped A mysterious murderer begins slaying Imperial Magistrates and city guards in the streets of the Imperial City. A large sum of 300 koku is not enough to stop the murderer as the killings continue day after day. It is only through the efforts of Usagi Ozaki and a ronin named Tokimasa that a Bloodspeaker cult is destroyed and the killer's identity are revealed. Imperial Regent Takuan offers the ronin the family name of "Ujina" as a reward for his efforts. Ujina Tokimasa immediately swears fealty to Usagi Ozaki and the Hare Clan. *Rescue of Emperor Toturi I After two years of futile searching, over the span of a few days, numerous individuals are drawn to the ruins near Morikage Toshi by strange visions. Otaku Kamoko, the Wasp daimyo Tsuruchi, numerous naga, and the Bloodspeaker Jama Suru are but a few drawn to the ruins. Upon reaching the ruins all assembled battle minions of the Lying Darkness who appeared to be guarding the imprisoned Emperor Toturi. Kamoko eventually escapes with the Emperor in the end. However, Goju Adorai watches in amusement from the darkness. Toturi's soul has been corrupted by the darkness and the Emperor is now an unwilling minion of Nothing. Only because the Emperor's corruption was complete did Adorai reveal the Emperor's location to those involved. Now with a shadow spawn upon the throne, the Lying Darkness can truly begin its destruction of the Empire. *Sanso's Ambition The ronin Sanzo finds shards of the shattered Bloodsword , Ambition, within the empty halls of Kyuden Bayushi. He finds himself compelled to reforge the blade from the shards. Not all of the shards are there however, leading to the creation of a wakazashi rather then a katana. *The First Edict Toturi I, upon his return to the throne, starts his rule again with a series of edicts. The first of which officially declared the peace between the Naga and Rokugan officially dissolved. This is believable considering the Naga's recent abandonment of their Crab allies and their assault on the Dragon. Toturi I declares that the Monkey Clan will lead the Imperial Legion to assist the Dragon in their war against the Naga. Toku, the Monkey Clan Champion, is a bit perturbed by Toturi's command to leave no Naga alive, but readily accepts his new orders. Toturi I grant's Toku's loyalty by giving the new Monkey Clan lands in the vacant Scorpion provinces. *The Second Edict Toturi's second command declares the Unicorn the new Right Hand of the Emperor, giving the traditional title of the Lion to another clan. Toturi I calls upon Ide Tadaji and gives the Unicorn their first command - to punish the Lion for threatening the Crab and to destroy the corrupt Kitsu. Kuni Sensin questions why the Emperor chooses not to halt the Lion's advance instead. Sensin is order to commit seppukku for his outburst in court. Unicorn are pulled from around the Empire to deal with the command, leading to a marked increase in criminal activity as they leave their posts. *The Last Edict The Emperor breaks tradition yet again and appoints an Emerald Champion instead of holding the ancestral contest for the post. Toturi I decrees that the clans shouldn't waste their time or resources for a contest and he names Seppun Toshiken as his Emerald Champion. Toshiken quickly takes to his post and does so with mixed results. His disgust for the Crane Clan quickly becomes clear as he reassigns the Emerald Magistrates in Crane lands to other areas bringing crime and chaos to the Crane lands. Year 1132, Month of the Horse (page 28) *Kuwanan Pursues Yoritomo The Mantis withdraw from Beiden Pass and continue north. In response, Doji Kuwanan continues pursuing Yoritomo's army much to the annoyance of Lion protests in the courts and their lack of resources already strained from a two-front war. Yoritomo finds his army at a disadvantage due to their close proximity to Crane lands and finds the way home blocked. The Son of Storms takes the only logical course of action and skirts the Crane lands and retreats to the edge of Phoenix territory knowing that his pursuers would not be willing to send an uninvited army to their allies without proper protocol. Yoritomo takes the opportunity to regroup his army. *Revelation of the Kolat Toturi I cuts down Isawa Osugi in the Imperial Court and speaks only one word, "Kolat". In the following weeks Toturi I sends out Imperial Guards to find and execute many other "Kolat" at his command. Many of the executed did not have any affiliation to the actual group but were executed anyways. The true Kolat, suspecte that Toturi I has become a pawn of the darkness and withdraw their remaining agents from Otosan Uchi. *Seppukku of Chancellor Takuan Upon the death of Isawa Osugi and the Kolat hunts, the Imperial Chancellor faces Toturi I one last time asking to be relieved of his duties and allowed to commit seppuku. The remaining humanity in Toturi I begs his friend to stay and steady his soul, which Takuan agrees to. However, the next day, Toturi I announces to the court that he has ordered his chancellor to commit seppuku for failing to properly govern in his absence. The final insult comes when the Emperor places Seppun Toshiken, who Takuan despised, to stand as the chancellor's second. *Kage Takes a New Student The Kolat master Kage gathers his most promising students to protect them from the Lying Darkness. Goju Adorai soon learns of the master's plan and stages and ambush. Kage is saved by one of his most aspiring students, Asahina Dorai. *Storms over Matsu Castle The bulk of the Otaku Battle Maidens charge the Lion pressing from the north towards Shiro Matsu. Their armies gain victory after victory until they reach Shiro Matsu. Upon arrival the Unicorn find two unaccounted Lion legions at the castle. At their vanguard is the Jade Champion, Kitsu Okura and a host of oni spawn. The Otaku find that their opponents are powered by the dark power of Jigoku and are defeated. The few who survive retreat back to Unicorn lands as a dark storm settles over the land for a day's travel in every direction from Shiro Matsu. *Death of Matsu Agetoki Otaku Kamoko continues her hunt for Matsu Agetoki unaware of the defeat of her kin. For months Agetoki has fled trying not to embroil the young Thunder in the shadowy world of the Kolat. Agetoki finally confronts Kamoko and attacks her forcing her to kill him. Kamoko finds a death poem in Agetoki's obi, however Agetoki died as a Lion, carrying his secret to his grave. Year 1132, Month of the Goat (page 28-29) Year 1132, Month of the Monkey (page 40-41) Year 1132, Month of the Rooster (page 42-43) Year 1132, Month of the Dog (page 43, 52) Year 1132, Month of the Boar (page 52-53) Year 1132, Month of the Rat (page 54-55) Year 1132, Month of the Ox (page 55,64-65) Year 1132, Month of the Tiger (page 65-66) Year 1133, Month of the Hare (page 66) Year 1133, Month of the Dragon (page 78-80) Year 1133, Month of the Serpent (page 80-81) Year 1133, Month of the Horse (page 81) Year 1133, Month of the Goat (page 82) Category:Timelines